The history of blackface, the behavior by which white people paint their faces and sometimes their bodies to imitate people of color, has a long and persistent history. Most recently, Sacha Baron Cohen used blackface to mock the history of it in his Oscar-nominated film “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm.”
But employing blackface, even to criticize its use as in the Borat film, can open wounds in communities who are disproportionately affected by racism.
In a new book, Ayanna Thompson, regents professor of English at Arizona State University, explores the painful history of blackface.
The Show spoke with Thompson for more about the practice's history.